Arizona Diamondbacks Didi Gregorius #1 is greeted at home plate by A.J. Pollock #11 after scoring against the San Francisco Giants in the 9th inning of their MLB baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in San Francisco, California. less

Arizona Diamondbacks Didi Gregorius #1 is greeted at home plate by A.J. Pollock #11 after scoring against the San Francisco Giants in the 9th inning of their MLB baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in San ... more

Photo: Lance Iversen / The Chronicle

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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner, reacts after striking out in the 7th inning during their MLB baseball game with the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in San Francisco, California. less

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner, reacts after striking out in the 7th inning during their MLB baseball game with the Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in San Francisco, ... more

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

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San Francisco Giants Angel Pagan steps in front of Hunter Pence to make the catch of Arizona Diamondbacks Didi Gregorius fly ball in the 5th inning of their MLB baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in San Francisco, California. less

San Francisco Giants Angel Pagan steps in front of Hunter Pence to make the catch of Arizona Diamondbacks Didi Gregorius fly ball in the 5th inning of their MLB baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in San ... more

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

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San Francisco Giants Gregor Blanco rounds 3rd base on his way home in the 7th inning of their MLB baseball game against Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in San Francisco, California.

San Francisco Giants Gregor Blanco rounds 3rd base on his way home in the 7th inning of their MLB baseball game against Arizona Diamondbacks Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in San Francisco, California.

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

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San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval is brushed back by Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Ian Kennedy in the 6th inning of their MLB baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in San Francisco, California.

San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval is brushed back by Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Ian Kennedy in the 6th inning of their MLB baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in San Francisco, California.

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

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San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval pops up in the 6th inning of their MLB baseball game with the Arizona Diamonbacks Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in San Francisco, California.

San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval pops up in the 6th inning of their MLB baseball game with the Arizona Diamonbacks Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in San Francisco, California.

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

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San Francisco Giants catcher Guillermo Quiroz is awarded first base after being hit by a pich from Arizona Diamondbacks Ian Kennedy in the 4th inning of their MLB baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in San Francisco, California. less

San Francisco Giants catcher Guillermo Quiroz is awarded first base after being hit by a pich from Arizona Diamondbacks Ian Kennedy in the 4th inning of their MLB baseball game Wednesday, April 24, 2013 in San ... more

Photo: Lance Iversen, The Chronicle

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Giants lose to D'backs 3-2 in 10 innings

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Not much separates the Giants and Diamondbacks. In 2011 Arizona won the National League West. In 2012 it was San Francisco. In each season they met 18 times and went 9-9.

Continuing the trend, they split the first two games of their inaugural 2013 series and were tangled in a 1-1 draw heading into the ninth inning of Game 3 on Wednesday.

When two teams are that close, little things tend to decide the games, which is why the Giants' series defeat had to be so maddening. They won two World Series over the past three seasons by being the champion of the little things, but not this time.

Not even the big things the Giants did in the ninth inning of all three games, including Brandon Crawford's tying home run Wednesday, could spare them.

The Diamondbacks scored in the 10th and won 3-2 to take the deciding game and leave the Giants less than satisfied with a 4-2 homestand.

"Things can happen," center fielder Angel Pagan said. "It's early in the season. There are a lot of games to go. We've just got to keep fighting every day."

What happened to Pagan in the ninth inning might have cost the Giants the game.

Jose Mijares retired the first two Diamondbacks and got rookie Didi Gregorius to hit a high fly to center. Pagan got a poor read and broke late on a ball that fell in front of him. He then took his time getting the ball to second base, seemingly oblivious to Gregorius' nonstop charge toward second base.

Pagan finally heaved a throw that was late. Gregorius had a double, then scored the go-ahead run on Gerardo Parra's single off a leaping Crawford's glove to give Arizona a 2-1 lead.

Pagan took no blame, crediting Gregorius instead.

"He hustled and he got to second," Pagan said. "He did what he was supposed to do. There's nothing you can do about it."

"The outfielders we've got probably have to pick it up a little getting the ball back in," he said. "They're taking for granted that these guys are going to stop with singles."

Pagan's play looked even worse because he saw the same speedy runner do the same thing to left fielder Andres Torres before scoring the decisive run in the 11th inning Tuesday night.

Torres ranged left to grab a Gregorius single that he later reported losing in the lights. As Gregorius was charging toward second base, Torres held the ball and looked at Pagan to talk about the lights.

"Andres will tell you it's one thing to lose a ball in the lights, but to start explaining it to (Pagan) while the guy is running, that's a brain cramp," Bochy said.

And one brain cramp can trump two positive developments, such as Madison Bumgarner's gem (7 1/3 innings, one run) and Crawford's tying homer in the ninth against David Hernandez. Like Brandon Belt's two-run homer that tied Tuesday's game, Crawford's went for naught.